1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns structure relating to a generator used in coal gasification and the like where the solids being gasified are in finely divided form. More specifically, the invention deals with the structure of a outlet throat at the bottom of a generator being used with coal gasification of powdered coal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In gasification procedures using finely divided solids that are being gasified, e.g., powdered coal, a continuing problem relates to the slag which is generated in the gasification process and which is in liquid form and tends to run down the walls of the generator and out through the throat of the outlet where it is reentrained into the gasification products at the bottom edge of the throat outlet, instead of remaining separated as is desired. The prior structure had a cylindrical outlet forming the throat of the generator and this throat would extend beyond the base of the generator so that there were cylindrical walls which then had a squared off face thereof.
It was discovered in connection with the use of droplets of water in air (used to simulate the flow pattern of a gasification generator) that most of the heavy phase of materials from a generator would flow on the walls of the outlet throat. The water running down the walls of such outlet tended to be distributed over the entire circumference of the outlet at the squared off face. And, as it dripped off therefrom, the tendency for reentrainment of the water was maximum.
Consequently, it is an object of this invention to provide improved structure of the outlet for a gasification generator (involving finely divided solid particles) which has liquid slag formed in the generator. The structure is such that the liquid slag may drip off from the edge of the outlet with a minimum of reentrainment into the gasification products.